glass of alcohol, like he had tricks up his sleeve to win this client over. I sighed. He either traveled for a potential client, or to close a deal, which meant he was always gone. Money was his biggest motivator.
Dad dropped a kiss to the top of my head, then turned and made his way back to his office.
Pulling my cell phone from my back pocket, I checked my notifications. Still nothing from Avery yet her car was outside. She and Xavier fought like siblings. I couldn't imagine she'd be at my brother's pool house…unless her twin brothers were there and she was with them.
Curious, I walked through the kitchen to look out a window. Overgrown tropical plants edged the backyard, blocking the view of the pool house my brother had moved into after he graduated high school. It was like his own little hidden bungalow. Sliding open the glass door, I stepped outside and walked past the pool and under the archway that lead to one of two impressive guest houses on our property.
A string of high-pitched, fiery profanity carried through the air. I stopped walking and crouched behind the nearest pillar. Peeking through an abundance of plants, I caught a flash of blonde hair that dashed behind the leafy palms.
Avery?
A door opened and then slammed shut. Multiple footsteps pounded on the pavers. I stood up to get a better view and spotted Xavier.
"Get back here," he growled, storming after her. He was shirtless and in a pair of jeans that sat low on his waist. I was close enough I could hear what they were saying and luckily small enough to hide behind a stone column to watch.
I hadn't seen my brother in months, but there was a noticeable difference in his appearance. He had to be hitting the gym. He was much more muscular and way leaner than I remembered. He’d filled out and was in the best shape I'd ever seen him in.
"Avery!" Xavier roared. He had a black eye and a dried up cut on his lip. "I'm calling your name. I know you can hear me!"
"The dead can hear you," she snapped over her shoulder. "Go fuck yourself, you conceited bastard."
His eyes flared to life. Xavier reached out and yanked Avery by her elbow. He spun her around and she fell into him with a huff. He had her pinned against his bare chest, one hand on the back of her neck, the other on the small of her back. Xavier took after both my parents and got the tall genes of the family. He towered over Avery, she had to crane her neck to look up at him.
What the fuck?
Avery sagged against him, her shoulders loosened. I frowned, confused beyond hell to see them so cozy. My stomach revolted, mainly because she was my best friend, and because this was uncomfortable to watch. Chicks before dicks.
Their voices dropped and I had no idea what they were saying. With their bodies pressed together intimately, faces separated by mere inches, I strained to listen, but all I was granted with were whispers through clenched teeth. Avery moved to slap him, but Xavier grabbed her wrist before she could finish. He glared at her as she resisted his hold. She shoved and pushed against him, but judging by the smirk on Xavier's face, he knew he had control over her.
I couldn't take it. I was at the point of suffocating from covering my mouth so hard. A million and one questions floated through my head so fast I couldn't process them. I also couldn't be a sitting duck any longer.
"Avery?" I called out, walking toward them.
"Adrianna?"
Surprise laced her tone. She and Xavier jumped apart.
"Oh, my God. Is that you?" she squealed, then ran toward me with a huge smile on her face. We threw our arms around each other in a tight hug, rocking from side to side with happiness. I was curious to see if she was going to bring up that little scene I just witnessed.
"I've missed you!" I said.
"I can't believe you’re home!"
I pulled back when Xavier walked over. "Hey, sis." He smiled and pulled me into a hug. He reeked of weed and I could smell the faint scent of day-old booze on his breath. "It's good to see you."
"I wish I could say the same for you. You smell like shit," I said.
He chuckled, unashamed.
"I wasn't expecting you until closer to Christmas."